It Gets Better
by mangopieCHAN
Summary: Itachi's advice rang through Sakura's ears as she struggled to keep her memories from slipping away Life gets better...       ItaSaku
1. Chapter 1: Silver Rabbit

**mangopie's notes **

Wow, I'm so glad I stumbled onto Itasaku because it's so sweet :D This is my first fanfic and I need lots of critique on it.

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Haruno Sakura fiddled with her pink hair, on her face was an expression that seemed to be a mix of determination and anxiousness. She hopped on one foot, then the other. She wrinkled her nose and stared at her blue sandals, starkly in contrast with the brown mud on the ground. Strewn pebbles were scattered all around in hues of dark blue, green, grey and black-

The color of that boy's hair. Sakura blushed unwittingly, feeling the heat of her skin rise up to a dark reddish-pink color, much similar to the one of her shirt. The boy was her age and from what she heard, he was going to be in the academy class as well. That meant he was around here somewhere.

Sakura glanced around, her pink, short and shiny hair bobbing up and down. "Sakura? Is there something bothering you because you look flustered, dear," Sakura's mother inquired, stroking her cheek. "You feel warm too, are you feeling unwell?"

The little girl shook her head vigorously, and her mother smiled at her daughter's fierce concentration, focused on the earth they were standing on.

_There he is!_ Sakura blinked a few times to make sure she was awake. The boy, that raven-haired Uchiha boy was a few feet ahead of her. He seemed to be enjoying himself as he basked in Iruka-sensei's praise in front of his father. Sakura examined the man steadily. He looked strong, and of course he was, being the chief of Konoha's Police.

Sakura struggled away from her mother with a quick, "Bye, gotta go, see you later Mommy," and stumbled away on her own, just barely hearing her mother's call, "Come home for dinner!"

Now that she was closer, Sakura heard Iruka-sensei's words coming crisp and clear, "I'll hold it to the Uchiha clan that Sasuke will be just of a prodigy as his brother." Oh, everyone knew the elder Uchiha brother. He was a prodigy, a genius. Sakura knew from her father that Uchiha Itachi had already been accepted into ANBU, Konoha's secret police that donned masks to preserve their true identity.

Sakura had even seen him once. She thought he was really handsome, with his dark hair tied into a ponytail. He had a charming demeanor that made the kunoichi giggle when he passed by.

The pink haired girl contented herself with just admiring the boy from afar, Sasuke was his name, wasn't it? "Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Sasuke," She let it roll around her mouth. Even his name sounded perfect. Sakura sighed.

"Hmm?" Sakura froze in shock as Sasuke turned around from where his father and soon to be sensei were having an animated discussion about Itachi's growing abilities and strength.

Sasuke glanced around, a confused look on his face, before locking eyes with the pink haired child before him. "Did you call me?" he asked curiously, pinning her with his black-eyed gaze.

"Umm…" _No!_ By now, Sakura could feel the familiar hotness of her face. "I h-h-have to go! Sorry!" _No! No! No!_

She dashed through the throng of parents and future ninja students, all the while trying to see through the tears that blurred her vision. Why did she have to freeze up like that? _Ugh_, Sakura hated herself then.

Her quick footsteps carried her light frame out of the crowd, past the academy gates and into the wilderness. It wasn't really a wilderness, just a small forest that surround Konoha before giving way to the hidden village's border.

At least, well, at least he had not laughed at her, made fun of her huge forehead. Sakura immediately started parting her hair to the point where her face was almost totally hidden behind a blanket of pink. But still, he _had_ to think she was odd now.

She had her chance of actually talking to the boy of whom she had been thinking about ever since she glimpsed him a week ago, on a walk with the elder Uchiha brother.

And, she blew it.

Speaking of which, where was the elder Uchiha brother? The famous Itachi who seemed to dote on Sasuke very much? It seemed not right that he wouldn't be there supporting his little brother.

Sakura slowed to a walk. She knew quite a number of kunoichi that had no business at the orientation ceremony and came anyway, hoping to meet Itachi. They were probably quite upset now.

And no wonder, Itachi was extremely attractive, intelligent, and strong. In fact, it was Itachi who Sakura had been looking at before Sasuke came into view.

Kicking a pebble as she went along, Sakura relived the humiliation in her mind. She closed her eyes tightly in an attempt to shut off the waterworks.

She felt like screaming, it was _that_ frustrating. But that would mean drawing attention to herself and that was the exact opposite of what Sakura wanted.

What she needed was some time alone- not that she had many friends. Most of the kids her age group had shunned her because of how she looked.

Pink hair. Huge forehead.

How long had she been running? Her aching feet told her it had to be a while.

By now, Sakura couldn't even hear the crowd. Slowly, and hardly daring to breathe, she opened her eyes and looked at her surroundings.

Wood and foliage. Dense wood and dense foliage.

It was definitely not her best day.

And it was getting worse by the minute. Sakura whimpered and drew herself into a tight, trembling sobbing ball. She huddled herself into a tree trunk and recounted what her mother had said.

"_Sakura… Always remember what to do if you get lost. Stay where you are and wait until someone finds you. Never wander further away…"_

At that time, Sakura had found the advice annoying and simply brushed it away, like wind whistling past her ears. Now, she felt like breaking down. Nothing she did seemed to go right.

Drowning in self pity, the girl did not hear the footsteps. Not that she could, even if she tried. It was the footsteps of a full-fledged nin, one that was skillful enough to mask his chakra so that it seemed that he was nothing more than air itself.

A nin that was skilled, lithe and powerful.

Bawls shook her petite frame and Sakura tried to catch her breath in vain. "Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Sasuke…" Then, she froze. It was almost like she could feel someone watching her. Her breath was caught in her throat and she tensed.

Someone rustled the bushes, and a white rabbit scrambled out, dazed by the sight of the little girl, it tried to decide if Sakura was a hungry predator. Sakura blinked in relief. She knew that these woods were dangerous.

"D-don't be afraid, bunny," whispered Sakura softly between hiccups, "I won't eat you, why would I? You're my only friend."

The rabbit twitched and Sakura admired its silver-white fur, gleaming when it caught the sunlight. There was something about it that she couldn't place…

The rabbit seemed to sneeze, and bounced lightly. "Oh!" Sakura crawled to it slowly on all fours. She didn't want it to see her as a threat. Scooping the ball of fur up, she cradled it against her chest like a newborn.

"I'll tell you a secret," Sakura sighed, nuzzling the rabbit's long and silky ears, "No one really likes me because I look so different. And today, I met Sasuke! He's really cute, I like him. But I messed up and now I bet he thinks I'm weird and I want to stay at home for the rest of my life!"

The rabbit sneezed again, and scampered into a shadow of a tree, a shadow that should not have been there, given the time of day. Again, Sakura felt fear creep into her heart, making her stomach flip over.

"Actually, that was two secrets, little kunoichi," a voice laughed lightly, amused. Then, the shadow seemed to remove itself from behind the trunk.

"I heard you mention Uchiha Sasuke. He is my younger brother, and should be attending the academy orientation about-" the nin glanced up to the sky, as if to clock the sun's position, "now."

Realization dawned on Sakura. The rabbit was probably his. That would explain its groomed, sleek fur and readiness for human contact.

"Since you know his name, you should be there with him. Instead, you are found out here, lost, with a face full of tears," the nin continued.

This was Uchiha Itachi, Sakura stared in disbelief. He looked much more striking up close. This was all too much and Sakura burst into tears again.

"It's a good thing you're not a S-Class criminal, isn't it?" Itachi carried on, with a glint in his eye. He lifted up the rabbit and tore something crackly sounding from its belly.

Sakura gasped. It was an explosion note, and she would have been killed instantly if it had detonated. Her eyes widened considerably, taking in the Uchiha - raven black hair tied into a ponytail, defined, toned muscles, his muddied ANBU uniform, his red, hypnotizing eyes, he had to be fifteen at the most.

Still, there was a new, dark element that Sakura had never seen before- on anyone, anywhere.

It was a shadowy gleam that made her cower in sheer dread, but it could have been a deception of the light on her water clogged eyes, which was what Sakura would come to convince herself later on. It lasted for a mere second, maybe less, and passed.

"I didn't mean to tease you, little kunoichi, I suppose you want to get back to the academy now?' Itachi offered a hand, his tone friendly and light.

When Sakura didn't respond, he appeared by her side with inhuman speed and sat down without a word. Sakura felt tingles of fear run down her spine as he examined her tear-stained face.

"I w-want to g-go home, please," Sakura managed to stammer.

Itachi regarded the small figure and nodded, hoisting her to his shoulders and standing up in one fluid movement.

Sakura closed her eyes and took in the smell of his hair, it was soft. Maybe as soft as Sasuke's even. She let go one of her hands that had been curled around his neck so she wouldn't fall off and fingered it, hoping Itachi wouldn't notice.

It smelled nice, of a spicy yet sweet odor and she had to clench her tiny fist to keep from burying her face in it. The rhythm of his rapid steps was starting to make her feel sleepy.

The Uchiha felt the little girl's edgy body relax, and felt her head slump against the top of his. And her arms slide from his neck to dangle by her sides.

He slowed down and gently pulled her from his shoulders. With no grip, the little kunoichi might fall off and get seriously injured at any moment. They were leaping from tree branch to tree branch and it was a long way down.

Placidly, he settled the little kunoichi into the crook of his arm and once again, they set off.

"We're here now, little kunoichi," the Uchiha spoke quietly, rousing the petite girl and let her slide from his arm to stand in front of him.

He watched as she blinked in dim light of approaching sunset. "W-what?" She mumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Itachi poked her forehead delicately, "Little kunoichi, I said it's time for you to go home now, as should I." He nodded in the direction of the sunset.

"Oh!" Sakura was fully awake, "I fell asleep. I'm sorry Itachi-san, thank you so much!" The pink head bowed down.

"Goodbye, little kunoichi," Itachi patted her head and set her off in the direction of the village square. "And don't worry, life only gets better." A laugh escaped the nin.

And by the time she turned around, he was gone.

---

Ramblings: Okay, I'm halfway done on the second one and should be completely done tomorrow, YAY


	2. Chapter 2: Conscience

It's me again! I finally finished it and it's shorter than the first chapter but it took a lot of time to finish, something I didn't expect. Critique? And not so much ItaSaku in this chapter, sorry to those who expected it.

---

With spring came the cherry blossoms, and with the cherry blossoms, came the thoughts of pink shiny tresses amid sea green eyes that gazed with a rare naivety and would leave with the passing years unless sheltered and preserved. A naivety that he too, once possessed, but relinquished for ruthlessness.

Never had anything gone wrong in his plans. It was one of the characteristics he prided himself on, which were rare, he was not an arrogant person. The little kunoichi struck a chord in him that was not supposed to be there. A chord he thought he had severed a long time ago. A chord that was an obstacle in his plans.

A chord that was his conscience, that now ached with every breath, with every thought.

It was unusual, how much the little kunoichi had affected his thinking. It fascinated him, a cold-blooded hunter-nin, but it was enough for him to push aside, into a deep forgotten corner of his mind, reduced to an uncomfortable memory that throbbed sorely.

He played around with his target, engaging, provoking the opponent in a life-and-death battle in which he would ultimately rise up the survivor. When the ANBU was called in to annihilate a target, to completely wipe him or her off the face of the land, he was the given choice.

It was not long since they had accepted him into their ranks, a brilliant but young nin. And they never regretted it. It was through him other countries respected Konoha's power, through him that enemies knew not to incite Konoha's rage.

For with that, came swift destruction.

He watched as the opponent, who could not be much older than him, twisted and turned in an effort to dodge his shuriken. He had anticipated her every move, and the steel pierced flesh with a sickening, tearing sound.

He was not one to let his targets die slowly. His job was to get rid of them, not torture them. But there was something that came with a slow, agonized death, delighting the sick, darker personality that he called his own.

And it was a warped fascination that arrived together with the blood, seeping out, the very life force of a person, so easily set free.

A slight, whimsical breeze blew through the blades of grass and scarlet bled onto the green, a breeze that carried screams of anguish that would slice open even a nin's hardened heart.

Green. He felt his heart stop for what seemed like an eternity. The chord was awake and vibrating relentlessly by this time. The sea green eyes that enraptured his mind and haunted his every waking thought swirled in his consciousness.

This was not going the way he expected.

There was another agonized yell from the target and this time, he flinched. That was not good. Not even stab wounds could make him flinch. Other nins flinched, yes. Other ANBU, maybe. But never Uchiha Itachi.

He whipped out his katana and with a deft jerk of perfectly coordinated muscles, dispatched the target, and stood there, half-admiring and half-disgusted at the look of utter alarm frozen on her face.

This was supposed to be an S-Class criminal, a jounin. It could not have been that easy. And it could make one wonder how far abilities could be stretched. He knelt onto one knee and put a finger to the target's throat and waited.

After nothing for ten minutes, he reached down and slung her over his shoulder like she was nothing more than a sack and vanished into the breaking daylight.

Still, he kept an eye on the body, waiting for any slight movement that would be the telltale hint she was using a jutsu on him. He never relied on the dead to stay dead. Not a tremble or even the batting of eyelids would go unnoticed.

Out of the blue, he felt a surge of chakra that he could only describe as a flash of hot light flowing behind his Sharingan, it was one of those things that screamed that things were not as they seemed. In a flash, he flung the target onto the ground, thudding, and drew the katana with a flourish. As from the words of advice from every elite nin a single line would resurface again and again- to act on gut feelings, no matter how secure a situation might seem.

Whistling far too close for comfort near his neck was a chakra string of kunais which he successfully batted away with the sharp blade. Following close behind, shuriken raged through the air.

It seemed his mind knew just when it was vital to shut off that maddening chord, but though the feat was independent of his will, he found it useful at a situation such as this. Now was not the time for guilt and remorse, it was the time for battle.

The shuriken propelled close- close enough to hear the shrill whistle as it appeared to slice air itself and close enough so he could smell the poison tinged on the edges.

Sharingan pinpointed her position and he appeared by her side almost instantly. Her face was locked in a surprised expression and he see her chakra twisting and coiling in fear.

Without warning, she struck and he evaporated in a thick cloud of smoke- a kage bushin. Her eyes widened and she registered his chakra signature materialize behind her. "Unbelievable," she hissed as she slumped to the ground, lifeless.

---

Itachi leapt from the Hokage's office window, nodding a curt goodbye as he left. The target had been disposed of and he knew he would not get any more missions for a least a week.

He stared at his hands, still smeared with the target's blood. He would have to wash them before-

"Itachi-san?" _Damn._

He plastered a polite smile on his face and turned around slowly, deftly pulling off his bloodstained gloves to hide behind his back.

"Little kunoichi, I wasn't expecting you to be up so early today," He patted her head and drew back his hand before she saw the scratch marks caused by the shuriken he encountered in the battle that took place just minutes before.

The clear green gaze held him for a second and then twinkled into childish laughter, "Itachi-san, I have academy today and I would never be late!" She giggled, gesturing to her backpack.

Itachi's gaze was uncomprehending before it registered in his head, his thoughts were still fuzzy from the fight and all he wanted to do was go home and rest up. "Little kunoichi, do you recall what I told you last time?" He bent down to one knee, studying her face closely and found the girl had started to blush.

"Itachi-san, you said... You said that life always gets better," She remembered, grinning toothily, "Look! I lost another tooth yesterday and that means I'm growing up!" Little fingers pointed to the gaping hole in her smile.

Itachi nodded, "And I see you're much happier nowadays," he recalled their first meeting in the woods. The little kunoichi had seen his dark side, the side he wanted kept a secret. Somehow, he could never bring himself to slit her throat in the dead of the night to end that cumbersome problem of her squealing, even though that would be highly inconvienient.

Last night had been the fourth time he had opened her window, weapon gleaming in hand, to try and assasinate her, and also the fourth time he had failed. Just as he had raised his kunai, the petite figure mewled in fright and for a second, his heart stopped. Then, he realized she had been having a dream.

He had given up and blended into the shadows of the night, realization dawning upon him that there had to be another way to make that little kunoichi forget. _Another day then._

The little kunoichi waved goodbye and started down the paved road, skipping to a little song as she went along, and every few steps, she turned back, as if to see if Itachi was still there, casually watching as he leaned against a wall.

And then he was gone. _He must have something to do_, Sakura reasoned, _he usually makes sure I'm at the school gates before leaving_.

---

Itachi fixated on the refection that played on the water as the sun's rays sparkled and flickered from ripple to ripple, like dancers made out of light. He felt a tingle to his left and turned slowly.

"Shisui, you're earlier than I expected."

A nin that looked the same age as Itachi smiled, his body slanted against the bridge, his expression serene and laid-back. He too, possessed the same dark Uchiha hair and eyes, but held a look far different from Itachi- laughing eyes and a face untouched by stress.

"I knew you'd have something important to tell me, that's why I got here as soon as possible," Shisui stood up straight, his eyebrows raised, something unpleasant was in the air.

Itachi felt the familiar burn behind his eyes and opened them- crimson red.

"I cannot truly say I regret this, my friend."

---

Yes, he had known strength. But never like this- Mangekyou Sharingan was different, very different and far out of his comfort zone, but that was the whole point, to break out from that limit. In a way, it was like seeing the world around him for the very first time.

Like discovering a window that had been sealed shut for a long time and being able to slide it open with ease and enter a entirely new dimension where anything was possible.

Having the new Sharingan unveiled along with the suspicious circumstances surrounding the 'suicide' of Shisui, Itachi knew it was just be a matter of time before he had to leave Konoha, but that required careful planning and he wasn't that far yet.

Being in ANBU himself, he had first hand experience of how effective their methods could be, never hesitating to venture into the gray matter between what was morally adequate and blatant violation of rights.

Underestimating the opponent would almost ensure demise.

His mind was already calculating the next move, and deliberately ignoring that stinging chord that seemed to sing louder with every heartbeat, watching potential scenes unfold below from his mind's eye.

Even with this newly-tapped torrent of power, Itachi realized that the only way he could truly be strong was to engage in a battle with someone of equal ability-and survive.

Someone who was a Uchiha. Someone who already harbored resentment against him. Someone who would go to extreme lengths to obtain the Mangekyou Sharingan, just as he did.

Itachi had seen Sasuke try to imitate his' target practice when he thought he was alone, he had heard Sasuke talk to their mother and long guessed that Sasuke would do_anything_ to surpass him.

Which made his sweet little brother the perfect candidate.

---

mangopieCHAN's ramblings continue!

I'm going to give myself a deadline for the next one, and that would be Monday. Trust me, there WILL be ItaSaku.


	3. Chapter 3: Deja Vu

mangopieCHAN's foreword: 2 hours before deadline, and I DID IT -isoutofbreath- To clear up some misconceptions you might have, the 'chord' Itachi is so flustered about is his conscience. And ... that's about it for now. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? READ IT. And um... I know I said there would be ItaSaku but umm... I have a really good excuse for this, it's just doing a really good job at evading my brain right now.

---

"Ino, I had the weirdest dream the night before," Haruno Sakura's clear green eyes blinked in confusion. She closed them and tried to recall as much as she could. There had been something about two red moons peering through her window as she slumbered into the night and she remembered a sheen of a star that seemed to glow.

The girl running beside her erupted into giggles, "Really, Sakura, I ask you what goes with this kind of flower and there you go babbling about _nightmares _of all subjects, it's no wonder why Sasuke-kun isn't madly in love with you."

Sakura stopped abruptly, her short hair falling into place and stared at the other girl, studying her light blonde hair, "Sasuke-kun..." She murmured and cast her eyes into the distance.

Ever since they started talking a few weeks ago, Ino and Sakura were inseparable, just like all best friends should be.

The ocean blue eyes that watched Sakura narrowed, Ino knew it was a touchy subject with her best friend, but she had brought it up anyway. _Why am I doing this? _Ino twirled a lock of hair uncomfortably.

It wasn't what best friends should be doing to each other.

Sometimes, Ino told Sakura that she thought that they knew almost everything about each others' lives. But each time, the pink-haired girl would just nod her head and look away, a hint of red spreading on her cheeks. Ino would then push her playfully on the shoulder and say something along the lines of, "Sa-a-a-a-kura-chan, now you really look like a cherry blossom!" to cover her curiosity and frustration and fill in the cavity of tension brewing under the surface.

"Ino, can you show me how to bring out this color again?" Sakura held up a bunch of neatly arranged flowers, breaking the awkward silence, and tilting her head slightly to snare her friend's gaze.

Ino snorted and tossed her hair over her shoulder, "Why should I help _you_?" With a laugh, Ino pushed her friend playfully as she always did and they both knew all was great between them again, just like it should always be with best friends.

The duo grinned simultaneously and flung their flowers into the air, rolling over in unrestrained laughter as the buds fell down into their faces. "Who needs some dumb flowers, huh, Sakura?" Ino managed between sneezes as pollen settled into a cloud around them.

Sakura replied by jumping up and yelling as their red-faced sensei came storming up the hill to the two of them, "Let's run, Ino!" she helped the other girl up and they scrambled away before Sensei could come close enough to recognize who they were.

---

Itachi had left that little kunoichi alone for a long time, far too long for his standards. He knew she was a problem and he despised the fact that he still hadn't destroyed her. Killing Shisui had subdued the chord that rang deep inside of his head but he knew it would be returning full force before long. It was high time he silenced it, once and for all.

Without the chord's incessant annoyance, he found he could so do much more, the world was at his disposal. He felt a sense of satisfaction at this thought and opened his eyes, there was work to do.

He tapped his fingers on his katana and then ran them over his kunai, then through his dark hair. The little kunoichi could not be taken out with weapons, but he already he knew that. _What to do_... An idea flickered across his blank expression.

---

Judging by the amount of light streaming down from the sky, he guessed she would be home right now, all alone and unsuspecting.

_Haa-achoo!_ A little girl who looked around ten years of age rubbed her red nose as she ran over the yellow, tiled pavement that would bring her home. The undulated tears pouring out of her swollen eyes were not helping either.

Looking back, she realized that impulsively destroying those pretty arrangements she and Ino had so painfully crafted was a bad idea. Who knew it would result in two red-faced little girls named Sakura and Ino owning up to their wrongdoing and getting detention?

"I've been teaching little girls for too long to not have this happen before, you two!" Natsuko-sensei had reprimanded, her voice, normally silky soft, was quivering in anger and dripping with malice. "You've been a very bad example to the other children," Sensei continued, "Especially _you_, Ino, I know all the girls look up and respect you."

Sakura had felt miserable and desolate inside, she had been the one to start it, not Ino- and now they were both in trouble with their favorite sensei, it was _all_ her fault. But the worst thing was, while Sakura was sniveling away, Ino had been the one to speak up.

Ino had been the one to apologize for both of them and Ino had been the one to confess, Ino had been the one to quell Sensei's anger with her adorable down-turned sad mouth. Ino had always, _always_ been there for her, rescuing her and supporting her like a real best friend. And well, Sakura was just_there_.

At this moment, Ino would be writing long sentences on the board by herself, under Sensei's martinet gaze. Ino's short, blonde hair would be matted with sweat as she mentally counted the sentences, her arms aching with pain- _three hundred four, three hundred five..._

Sakura gasped, her own short pink hair flew up, wind buffeting her from behind as she suddenly halted, realization dawning, flower arrangement was Ino's favorite class and she knew Natsuko-sensei doted on Ino a lot, what would happen to that now?

Sobs racked her small body as she slunk down against a fence, her head tipped skyward. "Ino," she whispered softly and then rocked back and forth violently, all the while saying her best friend's name, "Ino, Ino, INO..."

"First Sasuke, now this Ino? Is this getting to be a habit, little kunoichi?"

Sakura looked up from her tear-streaked face, sniffing softly as the sihoulette of Uchiha Itachi blurred into focus. "L-leave me alone!" she gasped, shaking her head furiously, "I can solve my own problems! I-I'm a big girl now..."

She felt a weight sink down beside her and buried her head in her knees, "I said go away," Itachi could barely make out her muffled voice. He frowned.

"Little kunoichi, what did we talk about earlier today?" He usually had no patience for those who did not follow his rules, and to him, it didn't make sense to why those feelings weren't bubbling up right now.

Sakura flicked him a gaze and opened her mouth, her childish features drawn into a sharp scowl as she prepared to say something, then thought the better of it and looked away.

It was barely inaudible but he caught it, just a slight disturbance in the air, "Life gets better."

Tentatively, he reached out to touch her, just to stroke her shiny hair, then drew back abruptly as she shifted to get a better view of him. "Itachi-san?" she mumbled, "Where did you go this morning after I saw you?"

Itachi hesitated. Then would have been a good time to use the new Sharingan on her, but for some reason, he replied, choosing his words carefully, "I'm in ANBU, little kunoichi. ANBU missions are strictly confidential."

"Oh." The little kunoichi shrugged, and her breathing became more regulated, the soft rising and falling of her chest coming into rhythm with his own. She tugged at his sleeve, all the while refusing to meet his gaze.

Inwardly, that _damned_ chord was up and running like nothing had ever happened to it, like there was no tomorrow. Itachi felt himself standing up and pulling the little kunoichi up beside him.

"Piggy back, Itachi-san?" The little kunoichi made fussing noises, all the while still tugging at his sleeve, all traces that she had ever been crying gone. He blinked, did not she know that it was the last time she would see him, ever? Through those green green eyes of hers, did she understand what he was going to do, to her Sasuke, to her?

Of course she didn't, no one did.

Holding her hand, clammy and soft in his own firm grip, he spoke in a steeled tone, "I was waiting for you at your house, little kunoichi. You weren't there."

He sensed her tense up again, ready to speak, but she just hiccuped and murmured like she knew she wasn't getting an answer, "Why were you at my house, Itachi-san?" The little kunoichi stared at the ground underneath her blue sandals.

Wind blew across their faces, "This is the last time you'll see me," A dark look fleetingly passed his visage. The little kunoichi blinked, uncomprehending. She had learned over the weeks not to pepper him with questions in situations like this.

He would explain himself if he wanted to, and if not... She shivered, suddenly very much aware of the dark, impassive eyes that swept over her.

As Uchiha waited for her response, an abyss seemed to open, ever widening, ever reaching.

---

He didn't know why he put the seal on her, he didn't need to. Soon after, he would become nothing but a missing-nin to Konoha, just another target to be hunted down, but not without leaving something that would make, _force_, Sasuke to follow the same path, to find him and challenge him.

The little kunoichi squealing on him was not an issue he was concerned about because he would be far away by then, and what was boiling underneath the sea of his endlessly churning mind would have already happened. All in all, the nin supposed that he did it to spare her.

To spare her the trauma of getting close to a cold-blooded unblinking murderer of his own clan. Her feeble mind simply could and would not accept it. Especially since he was the brother of the boy she loved. The boy who would hate him with everything he had.

She didn't know what was happening at first, she didn't even think to struggle against it. It felt really strange on her- one moment she was mulling over what had happened and the next, lightheadedness overcame her.

That feeling gave way to a sharp pain at the back of her skull and then slowly subsided, leaving a dull ache behind and a warmth that spread to her ears, lulling the little kunoichi into a fitful sleep, even as her steps faltered on the pavement. The horizon blurred into a myriad of orange, red and gold, blending together in one perfect explosion of color.

They were almost upon the town square,_deja vu._ To Itachi, it seemed only appropriate the chord that had been growing inside of him would be severed at the exact point where it started its course, not where they had first met in the forest, but right here, where he had told her that important phrase two months ago. It was the phrase that started and ended most of their conversations when they happened to meet.

Pondering, Itachi realized that there had to be something greater than all of this, this meaningless plotting and murder. Something that had lead him to her on his ANBU initiation mission, something that had him finding her in tears, something that had history repeat itself today. Something mysterious, and something that he would drown in the dark forgotten recesses of his memory, he would think about it some other time.

---

The little kunoichi quivered like a leaf in the wind, her heart beating rapidly. She knew something important was happening to her but for some reason, all she could think about was the tenderness of the hand holding hers.

And perhaps, as all remnants of her memories were stripped away, leaving just a skeleton of facts and blurry recollections behind, the last memory she lost, trapped indefinitely by the seal, was of two red moons, glittering and watching her as she descended into a fitful sleep.

---

mangopieCHAN's last words

OHMYGOD What are you doing? You'd better not even TRY to leave w/o giving a review, thankyouverymuch. I actually read and reply to all of them because that's just the way I do things.

The next deadline will be Saturday, because I CAN, thankyouverymuch. Also, can someone give me information about beta-ing? I have no clue what it is. XD

What to expect for next time: It'll be mostly flashbacks, nice warm sappy stuff. Actually, I really don't know so don't take my word for it, I am very untrustworthy when it comes to making decisions.


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